Transcription

1 Making the Most of the Madrid System Information and Practical Tips on How to Use Specific Forms

2 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM INFORMATION AND PRACTICAL TIPS ON HOW TO USE SPECIFIC FORMS

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4 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM INFORMATION AND PRACTICAL TIPS ON HOW TO USE SPECIFIC FORMS CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION... 1 PART I PRESENTATION OF THE MADRID SYSTEM... 3 What is the Madrid System?... 3 International Application... 4 Requirements for Filing an International Application... 4 How to File an International Application... 5 From Application to Registration... 7 Managing an International Registration... 7 PART II EXPLANATORY NOTES ON FORMS ( How to fill in the MM forms ) Application for International Registration Governed Exclusively by the Madrid Protocol: Official Form MM Designation Subsequent to the International Registration: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Change in Ownership: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Limitation of the List of Goods and Services: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Renunciation: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Cancellation of the International Registration: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Change in Name and/or Address of the Holder: Official Form MM Request for the Recording of a Change in Name and/or Address of the Representative: Official Form MM Renewal of the International Registration: Official Form MM Appointment of a Representative: Official Form MM

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6 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 1 INTRODUCTION This handbook is intended to provide current or future users of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks with information and practical tips on how to make the most of the Madrid system. Part I provides general information on the Madrid system and some of its main features, and the benefits of using the system. Part II provides information and practical tips on how to fill in the most commonly used forms, such as the international application form, a request for subsequent designation, a request for recording of changes (for example, a change in ownership, a change in the name and/or address of holder and representative, limitations) and renewal. To learn more about the Madrid system or for more detailed and in-depth information on selected topics, please see the Guide to the International Registration of Marks under the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol (the Guide) or visit the website of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en/). WIPO s mailing address: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 34, Chemin des Colombettes 1211 Geneva 20 Switzerland WIPO can be contacted at the following address and telephone numbers: Telephone: Fax: Internet: For general questions about the Madrid system, please contact Madrid Customer Service ( ) or send an to

8 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 3 PART I PRESENTATION OF THE MADRID SYSTEM WHAT IS THE MADRID SYSTEM? The Madrid system offers individuals and businesses a unique opportunity to obtain and maintain protection for their marks in more than 90 countries, including the European Union as such 1, by means of a simple and economical procedure, using a single language and paying one set of fees in one currency. To obtain such protection, all that is required is a single application ( international application ) indicating goods and services and designating territories of interest ( designated Contracting Parties ). It is up to the designated Contracting Parties to determine the scope of protection of a mark, and decide whether it will be granted or refused, in accordance with their domestic legislation. Once a mark has been registered ( international registration ), it is easy to manage it through the Madrid system. Indeed, there is only one registration to renew, and changes such as a change in ownership or in the name or address of the holder can be recorded in the International Register in a single straightforward procedure. In addition, a particular advantage of the Madrid system is that the geographical protection of an international mark can be extended at any time after it has been registered, by including additional Contracting Parties 2 ( subsequent designation ). A mark may therefore, for example, be protected initially in five countries and ultimately in 80 or more countries, all under the same international registration number. Last but not least, the Madrid system is very flexible and accommodates tailor-made changes, such as the transfer of an international registration for some only of the designated Contracting Parties or for some only of the goods or services covered by the registration. The simpler and less time-consuming nature of the Madrid system, and the financial savings that can be achieved (no translation or legalization expenses, and no local representatives fees as there is no mandatory requirement to appoint a local representative), make the Madrid system very attractive, as confirmed by the increase in international applications filed as well as feedback on user satisfaction. A few words regarding the legal background: the Madrid system is governed by two treaties, the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks ( the Agreement ) and the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks ( the Protocol ). It is administered by WIPO in its capacity as the International Bureau in Geneva, Switzerland. 1 2 For an updated list of the territories members of the Madrid system ( Contracting Parties ), see Available for any Contracting Party unless it has made a specific declaration under Article 14(5) of the Protocol stating that it cannot be subsequently designated in international registrations effected prior to its date of accession to the Protocol. For a list of such declarations, see f) at

9 4 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION Requirements for filing an international application Any natural person or legal entity (e.g., a business) may file an international application provided that the following two requirements are met: entitlement and basic mark. 1. Entitlement To be entitled to use the Madrid system, the applicant must: have a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in, or be domiciled in, or be a national of a country which is a party to the Agreement and/or the Protocol. Applicants who have such an establishment or are domiciled in the territory of the European Union, or are nationals of a member State of the European Union, are also entitled to file an international application. The Trademark Office of the Contracting Party with which an applicant has the necessary connection is called the Office of origin. To check entitlement to file an international application under the Madrid system, please use WIPO s International Application Simulator. The Simulator also gives an idea of the concrete information to be provided at the time of filing of the international application, as well as an estimate of the fees to be paid through WIPO s Fee Calculator tool. 2. Basic mark In addition to the entitlement requirement, a mark must have already been applied for or registered with the relevant Office of origin. This application or registration is often referred to as the basic mark. In order to ensure that a mark will not infringe the rights of others, applicants are advised, before filing the basic mark, to search for possible conflicting prior marks using WIPO s free search tools ROMARIN 3 and Global Brand Database 4. Applicants should also check that their proposed mark has no misleading cognates or negative meanings or connotations in the language and culture of both current and future markets. For example, an applicant wishing to sell cars or motorcycles in the European Union under the trademark BURRO should be aware that BURRO is the Italian word for butter. The same word in Spanish means donkey. This may not result in a refusal by a designated Contracting Party, but it may hinder marketing of the goods in question. 3 4 ROMARIN contains all the relevant information regarding international marks. The Global Brand Database is a portal allowing you to search multiple brand-related data from 14 sources, including registers of many trademark Offices.

10 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 5 Finally, since the international mark will be dependent on the basic mark for five years meaning that if the basic mark is cancelled, either totally or partially, the international mark will be cancelled to the same extent consider the option of filing an international application on the basis of a basic registration rather than a basic application. This is due to the fact that once a basic mark is registered and the opposition deadline (if any) has expired, it is less vulnerable than when the mark is still a pending application. HOW TO FILE AN INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION Once the Office of origin has been determined and either an application has been filed or a registration has been obtained for the mark before that Office, an international application can be filed. The MM2 form 5 should be used for this purpose. It is available in the three working languages of the Madrid system (English, French and Spanish) at However, Contracting Parties may restrict the choice to one only or to two languages, so the language(s) accepted by each Office of origin should first be checked. To facilitate filling of the MM2 form, see Part II of this publication, which provides a short, user-friendly but nevertheless detailed summary of the information needed for the successful completion of an international application. For even more detailed information, consult the Explanatory Notes for MM2 (MM2.INF). Basically, an international application must contain the following information: 1. A reproduction of the mark, which must be identical to the one in the basic application or registration; 2. The designation of the Contracting Parties as many as desired in which the mark is to be protected. Note that designating the Contracting Party of which the Office is the applicant s Office of origin is not permitted. The list of designated Contracting Parties should be prepared with care, to make it ambitious but nevertheless realistic in the light of current markets of interest and their neighboring countries, as well as potential export markets within the following three to five years. Being too ambitious may lead to future cancellation actions if Contracting Parties have been designated but the mark is not being used there. Conversely, being too restrained may lead competitors or pirates to register the mark in a country where it has not yet been protected. A major advantage of the Madrid system is that an extension of geographical protection may be requested at any time after international registration by subsequently designating additional countries where the mark is to be protected. Geographical protection can thus keep up with business needs. 5 The MM1 form should be used by applicants whose Office of origin is the Office of a Contracting State bound by the Agreement only. The MM3 form should be used where the Office of origin is the Office of a Contracting Party bound by both the Agreement and the Protocol, and where the international application designates at least one Contracting State party to the Agreement but not to the Protocol and at least one Contracting Party to the Protocol, irrespective of whether or not that Contracting Party is also party to the Agreement.

11 6 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 3. A list of the goods and services for which the mark is to be protected, taking into consideration the fact that the list must be covered by or narrower than the list in the basic application or registration. To avoid irregularities in the international application, the list of goods and services should be classified in accordance with the latest International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification). Try to make sure that the list will be accepted in the designated Contracting Parties. For this purpose, the use of the Madrid Goods and Services Manager (MGS) is recommended. This free tool indicates the goods and services accepted by the International Bureau and also by several Offices of Contracting Parties. In addition, the MGS provides translations of terms in more than 15 languages, including the three official Madrid languages. In compiling the list of goods and services, be ambitious but nevertheless realistic. A well-balanced list should take into account the goods and services currently being offered, but also those due to be offered in the near future (within the following three to five years). Note that some Contracting Parties require a declaration of intention to use the mark at the time of filing of the application (either on the application form or separately 6 ). An excessively ambitious list of goods and services may trigger future refusals and/or non-use cancellation actions. Note also that the list of goods and services cannot subsequently be expanded or broadened to cover additional goods and services, not even ones mentioned in the basic mark. 4. The fees to be paid to obtain an international registration consist of 7 : A basic fee (653 Swiss francs where reproduction of the mark is in black/white or 903 Swiss francs where reproduction of the mark is in color); A supplementary fee depending on the number of classes of goods and services to be protected (100 Swiss francs for each class of goods and services beyond three classes); and Complementary (100 Swiss francs per Contracting Party) or individual fees depending on the designated Contracting Parties. The basic fee for international applications filed by applicants whose country of origin is a Least Developed Country (LDC) is reduced to 10 per cent of the prescribed amount. Countries considered LDCs are designated by the United Nations. 6 7 See footnotes of item 11 of MM2 and MM18. For further information, see the Schedule of Fees and the Individual Fees under the Madrid Protocol documents or use the Fee Calculator.

12 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 7 FROM APPLICATION TO REGISTRATION When an international application is received by the International Bureau via an Office of origin (no direct filing is possible), it is examined for compliance with formal requirements, such as the classification of the goods and services and the payment of fees. If the application contains an irregularity, the International Bureau will inform the Office of origin and the applicant accordingly, and indicate how it may be remedied within a time limit of three months. If the application is in order (i.e., no irregularity is found), the mark is recorded in the International Register, thereby becoming an international registration. The International Bureau will send the holder a certificate of registration and notify the designated Contracting Parties. Finally, the mark will be published in the WIPO Gazette of International Marks 8. A certificate of registration does not mean that the mark is granted protection in all the designated Contracting Parties. Upon notification of the registration of the mark, the Offices of the designated Contracting Parties will undertake substantive examination in order to decide whether to grant or refuse protection of the mark, in accordance with their national or regional legislation. Where the Office of a designated Contracting Party does not issue a refusal within the prescribed time limit (usually within 12 to 18 months), the mark is protected in that territory as if the mark had been filed and registered directly with the Office in question. Where an Office issues a refusal, the refusal will be communicated by the International Bureau to the holder, who will, in principle, be granted a time limit for overcoming the refusal. The procedures to be followed depend on the legislation of the particular Contracting Party. Consequently, any procedure such as a review or appeal against a refusal, or later a response to an opposition, should be carried out directly with the Office concerned, with no involvement of the International Bureau. To enable applicants and holders to be proactive and track the procedures through, in particular, the receipt of notifications and real-time status information on applications and registrations, the International Bureau invites applicants and holders to use the free online tools Madrid Portfolio Manager (MPM) and Madrid Real-time Status (MRS). MANAGING AN INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION Once an international mark is registered, it is valid for 10 years and can be renewed every 10 years. Six months before the date on which renewal is due, the International Bureau will send out an unofficial notice informing holders of the possibility of renewal. 8 The WIPO Gazette of International Marks is the official publication of the Madrid System. Every week the International Bureau publishes data regarding new international registrations, renewals, subsequent designations and modifications affecting existing international registrations.

13 8 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM There are three possible scenarios: 1. The owner wishes to renew the international registration as it is, for all the designated Contracting Parties and all the goods and services. The simplest way to do this is to use the E-Renewal platform where, in particular, credit card payments can be made. 2. The owner wishes to renew the international registration, but is no longer interested in all the Contracting Parties designated 10 years previously. The E-Renewal platform also enables the mark to be renewed only for those Contracting Parties that are still of interest, thereby reducing the fees to be paid. 3. The owner wishes to renew the international registration for all the designated Contracting Parties, but is no longer interested in some of the goods or services originally indicated. This facility is also extended by the International Bureau, but not on the E-Renewal platform. In this case, a request for limitation or cancellation of the goods and services that are no longer of interest should be filed, using the MM6 or MM8 forms, which can be filed anytime before the date of renewal. Once the limitation or cancellation is recorded, the international registration can be renewed. These unique flexibility features of the Madrid system stem from the fact that an international registration is equivalent to a bundle of national registrations. A holder may voluntarily restrict or renounce an international registration with respect to one or more of the designated Contracting Parties and/or with respect to some or all of the goods or services. This is not possible with a unitary regional right, such as the Community Trade Mark (CTM). This flexibility also extends to changes in ownership, since an international registration may be assigned or transferred with respect to some only of the designated Contracting Parties and/or some only of the goods and services. Another of the leading advantages of the Madrid system is that the filing of a single request for a change is usually sufficient for the change to have effect in all the affected designated Contracting Parties. This generally applies to: a change in ownership (MM5): note that a natural person or legal entity may be recorded as the new owner of an international registration in respect of a given Contracting Party only if he/it would be entitled (in accordance with the principles of entitlement set out above) to designate that Contracting Party in an international application; a change in the name or address of the holder (MM9); a change in the name or address of a representative (MM10); a limitation of the list of goods and services in respect of all or some of the designated Contracting Parties (MM6); a renunciation in respect of one or more, but not all, of the designated Contracting Parties, for all the goods and services (MM7);

14 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 9 a cancellation of the international registration in respect of all the designated Contracting Parties for all or some of the goods and services (MM8); and a license in respect of all or some of the designated Contracting Parties and for all or some of the goods and services (MM13). To monitor the status of requests and stay informed of the real-time status of documents being processed by the International Bureau, use the free online Madrid Real-time Status (MRS) tool. Additionally, to monitor competitors new marks or events affecting a specific registration, use the ROMARIN tool and the Madrid Electronic Alert (MEA) service. Finally, once holders have acquired more experience, they may also consider taking advantage of the replacement feature offered by the Madrid system. Where, for example, there exists a national or regional registration in a country or territory that has later become a Contracting Party of the Madrid system, it is possible to gather all the trademark protection under one number, namely the international registration number. To benefit from this feature, the Madrid system should be used to designate the territory of the relevant national or regional registration. Certain requirements need to be met. For example, the mark and the goods and services must be the same. When the requirements have been met, national or regional protection is replaced by international registration. Once confirmation that protection has been obtained through the Madrid system is received from the designated Contracting Party, there is no longer any need to maintain the national or regional registration. Although such replacement is deemed to take place automatically, it is advisable, for the information of third parties, to ask the national or regional Office to take note of the international registration and notify the International Bureau accordingly. For more detailed information on replacement, see the Guide 9. 9 Paragraphs B.II to 07.

15 10 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM PART II EXPLANATORY NOTES ON FORMS This part of the handbook provides information and practical tips on how to fill in the most commonly used forms, namely: MM2 MM4 MM5 MM6 MM7 MM8 MM9 MM10 (optional) MM11 (optional) MM12 (optional) International application Designation subsequent to the international registration Request for the recording of a change in ownership Request for the recording of a limitation of the list of goods and services Request for the recording of a renunciation Request for the recording of a cancellation of the international registration Request for the recording of a change in name and/or address of the holder Request for the recording of a change in name and/or address of the representative Renewal of the international registration Appointment of a representative The forms are available at When filling in forms, please note the following instructions: The form must be on one-sided A4 sheets; The form must be filled in legibly using a typewriter or other machine. Handwritten forms are not acceptable. Where the space available in any part of a form is insufficient, one or more continuation sheets should be used. On the continuation sheet, it is necessary to indicate Continuation of item number..., and the information must be presented in the same format as on the form itself. The number of continuation sheets used should be indicated in the box at the top of the form. All the forms are available in the three working languages of the Madrid system (English, French and Spanish). However, where the form must be submitted through an Office, the filing language(s) acceptable to each Office should be checked first.

16 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 11 APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION GOVERNED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE MADRID PROTOCOL INTRODUCTION To file an application for international registration, the application form should be submitted via an Office of origin since direct filing with the International Bureau is not possible. Consult the Office of origin on how to submit the application form: on paper or via or other electronic means. Depending on the treaty (the Agreement or the Protocol) that governs the application, one of the following forms should be used to apply for an international registration: Application for international registration governed: MM1 MM2 MM3 exclusively by the Madrid Agreement exclusively by the Madrid Protocol by both the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol Even though this handbook provides specific information only on the MM2 application form (Protocol only), the other two forms (MM1 and MM3) are similar and the recommendations given for MM2 are also applicable to them. OFFICIAL FORM MM2 EXPLANATORY NOTES HOW TO FILL IN THE MM2 FORM ITEM 1: CONTRACTING PARTY WHOSE OFFICE IS THE OFFICE OF ORIGIN Indicate the Contracting Party whose Office is to be considered the Office of origin, i.e., the Contracting Party through which the applicant has the required entitlement through nationality, domicile and/or a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment and before whose Office the applicant has applied for or registered his basic mark. ITEM 2: APPLICANT (a) Name: Natural persons should indicate their family (or last) name and given (or first) name in the order in which they are customarily used. Legal entities (businesses) should indicate their full official designation. If the applicant s name is in non-latin characters, transliterate it into Latin characters, following the phonetics of the language of the international application. Legal entities should replace the transliteration with a translation into the language of the international application.

17 12 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM If there are multiple applicants, indicate the name of each of them, using a continuation sheet if necessary. (b) Address: Provide the address in a form that will ensure prompt postal delivery. If there are multiple applicants, indicate the address of each of them, using a continuation sheet if necessary. Note that if there are several applicants with different addresses and no representative or address for correspondence is indicated, all communications will be sent to the address of the applicant named first in the application. (c) Address for correspondence: If communications should be sent to an address other than the one indicated in item 2(b), enter that address in this space. For example, indicate an address for correspondence when multiple applicants have different addresses or the application is being filed by the in-house counsel of a company, and the address of the in-house counsel is different from the main address of the company. Otherwise, this field should be left blank. Note: To appoint a representative, fill in item 4, not this paragraph (c). (d) Telephone or facsimile numbers and an address may be given. They should be those of the person that the International Bureau should contact if it needs to get in touch. Telephone or facsimile numbers should include country and city codes, such as, for example, in The full address should be given, such as When an address is provided, any further correspondence from the International Bureau related to the international application and the resulting international registration will be sent only electronically and, therefore, you will no longer receive any paper correspondence. Likewise, any further correspondence from the International Bureau relating to other international applications or international registrations for which the same address has been, or will be, provided will also be sent only electronically. Please note that, for the purpose of electronic communication, there can be only one address recorded for each international registration. (e) Preferred language for correspondence: To receive communications from the International Bureau in the language of the international application, no box needs to be checked. Otherwise, select English, French or Spanish. (f) Other indications: These are required by a number of Contracting Parties whose Office may issue a refusal against a mark if they are omitted. Therefore, although it is not compulsory to fill in this part of an international application, it is advisable to do so. (i) Natural persons should indicate the State of which they are nationals. (ii) Legal entities, such as an incorporated body, should indicate their legal nature (for example, limited liability company ), along with the name of the State and, where applicable, territorial unit, under the law of which they are incorporated or organized.

18 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 13 ITEM 3: ENTITLEMENT TO FILE (a) Check a box to indicate the nature of the applicant s entitlement. If the applicant is in a position to claim entitlement by virtue of more than one type of connection (through domicile, nationality or commercial or industrial establishment), with the Contracting Party whose Office is the Office of origin, as indicated in item 1 of the application form, then more than one single box may be checked accordingly by the applicant. If box (ii) is checked, enter the name of the State in question. (b) Provide the address in a form that will ensure prompt postal delivery. ITEM 4: APPOINTMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE (IF ANY) To appoint a person or company to be a representative before the International Bureau, enter the relevant information under this item. For the purposes of the international procedure, a representative may be domiciled anywhere, meaning that he does not need to be domiciled in a Madrid system member State. Please indicate the name and address of the representative and provide sufficient contact information to enable the International Bureau to correspond with him. It is advisable to include telephone and fax numbers, and an address, following the instructions given in item 2(a), (b) and (d) above. When an address is provided, any further correspondence from the International Bureau related to the international application and the resulting international registration will be sent only electronically and, therefore, you will no longer receive any paper correspondence. Likewise, any further correspondence from the International Bureau relating to other international applications or international registrations for which the same address has been, or will be, provided will also be sent only electronically. Please note that, for the purpose of electronic communication, there can be only one address recorded for each international registration. ITEM 5: BASIC APPLICATION OR BASIC REGISTRATION When the basic mark is an application pending before the Office of origin, enter the application number and date. When the basic mark is registered in the Office of origin, enter the registration number and date. ITEM 6: PRIORITY CLAIMED To claim priority from an earlier filing (application or registration), check the first box and enter the name of the Office in question, along with the application date (no more than six months earlier) and number (if available).

19 14 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM If the earlier filing does not cover all the goods and services for which the international mark is to be protected, indicate the goods and services covered by the earlier filing. You may, for example, simply enter class number 25, which would mean that all the goods in class 25 in item 10 are covered by the earlier filing. However, if class 25: Hats is entered, this would mean that any other goods in class 25 in item 10 are not covered by the priority claim. If the earlier filing covers all the goods or services in item 10, it is not necessary to repeat all the goods or services in item 6. To claim priority from more than one earlier filing, check the second box and enter all required information on a continuation sheet. ITEM 7: THE MARK (a) Place the reproduction of the mark, exactly as it appears in the basic application or basic registration, in the square. Therefore, if the mark in the basic application or basic registration is in black and white, so must be the reproduction in this box. Likewise, if the basic mark is in color, the reproduction in this box must be in color as well. Where the mark is a non-traditional mark (e.g., a sound mark or a three-dimensional mark), the reproduction of the mark in item 7 should match the reproduction of the mark in the basic application or the basic registration. Thus, when the reproduction in the basic application or registration consists of, for example, a perspective view of a three-dimensional mark, a musical notation or a description in words of a sound mark, then this is what should appear in box (a). The reproductions of non-traditional marks may require a supplementary description in item 9(e). Note: Non-graphical reproductions for example, a sound recording of a sound mark may not be included in the international application. The reproduction must be sufficiently clear for the purposes of recording, publication and notification. If it is not, the International Bureau will consider it irregular and inform the applicant and Office of origin accordingly. Therefore, if several views have been used to reproduce the basic mark, those reproductions should also be included, in a number sufficient for the reproduction to be clear. It is not possible to modify the reproduction of the mark after the mark has been registered by the International Bureau. The reproduction should be two-dimensional and graphical or photographic, and should fit within the box, which is 8 cm x 8 cm. Finally, the reproduction may be typed, printed, pasted or reproduced by any other means, but note that the mark will ultimately be published in the Gazette in exactly the same format as it was presented.

20 MAKING THE MOST OF THE MADRID SYSTEM 15 (b) This box need only be used when color is claimed as a distinctive feature of the basic mark (meaning that it must also be claimed in the international application), but the reproduction of the basic mark in box (a) is in black and white because the Office of origin does not provide for publication in color. In such cases, the mark must be reproduced in color in box (b). The Gazette will then include reproductions of the mark, both in black and white and in color. (c) Check this box if the mark is to be considered a mark in standard characters. Generally, a mark in standard characters is equivalent to a mark consisting of a word or words, or letters or numerals, or a combination of those elements, as opposed to a stylized or figurative mark, or a mark depicted in a special style, font or color, rather than in a uniform style. It is not possible to add a claim that the mark is in standard characters after the mark has been registered by the International Bureau. A word mark in a stylized script would not normally be considered as a mark in standard characters. Also, a mark containing special characters or stylized elements should not be claimed as a mark in standard characters. The International Bureau will not on its own initiative consider that a mark consisting of, or containing, non-latin characters or non-arabic numerals is a mark in standard characters. It will not, in principle, question a claim that a mark is in standard characters. The International Bureau will assign a classification in accordance with the International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification) when the mark is not a mark in standard characters. (d) In many jurisdictions, a color, as such, or a combination of colors may be registered as a mark. A color mark as such is, for example, where the applicant wishes the color itself (for example a specific shade of red) or a combination of colors, to be the mark. This is different from cases where the mark to be protected consists of figurative elements or stylized characters that happen to be colored. In such cases, the correct name for the mark is a mark in color, not a color mark per se. To protect a mark that consists entirely of a color as a color mark per se provide a description in words of the color(s) in question in item 8(a). Enter a description in words of the color(s) in item 9(e). ITEM 8: COLOR(S) CLAIMED (a) When one or more colors are considered to be an essential part of a mark and colors are claimed as a distinctive feature check the box and describe in words the color(s) claimed. It is advisable to include a reference to an international color classification system, such as RGB or Pantone. Note: A color claim is not a mandatory requirement in the international procedure. However, it may be a requirement in certain designated Contracting Parties. Therefore, to avoid any future refusals, it is advisable to check box (a) and provide the requested information.

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